


He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven

by abreathofsnowandashes



Category: Outlander (TV), Outlander Series - Diana Gabaldon
Genre: F/M, Season/Series 04 Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-25 11:19:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16660132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abreathofsnowandashes/pseuds/abreathofsnowandashes
Summary: A quiet moment between Jamie and Claire as their dream of Fraser's Ridge begins to take shape.





	He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven

**Author's Note:**

> It’s been awhile since I’ve written any fic so I am pretty rusty but I couldn’t get this out of my head after the scene in 4x03 where Jamie laments that he has nothing to offer Claire. 
> 
> Some day I will write a fic that has nothing to do with an Irish poet, but today is not that day.

"What are ye thinking, Sassenach? I can hear the thoughts moving in yer head as clear as I can my own."

They found a small grove to rest and make camp for the night. With the decision made to settle the land Claire could see that a weight had visibly lifted off Jamie's shoulders. Her own thoughts however remained burden under the heaviness of his words from the day before.

Still she could not suppress the smile that spread across her face from his knowing remark. She drew herself closer to Jamie's side and draped her arm across his broad chest possessively.

"I was just thinking about what you said, about having nothing to give me."

"Claire -" he began, voice pained and body stiff as he tried to pull away from her.

She held firm and raised herself up to look at him. She placed a finger to his lips to quiet him and he relaxed and turned his face into her palm as she tenderly stroked his face.

"It reminded me of a poem," she said softly.

Claire felt Jamie relax in her embrace then and she could see the pain and doubt that stormed in his eyes begin to recede. He bent his head to hers and pressed his lips to her brow.

"Go on then," he whispered, "lemme hear it."

She held his gaze for a moment and turned her head to rest on his shoulder as she looked to the sky. The storm of the night before had cleared and provided them with an unobstructed view of the stars. They lay beside the fire, bound snugly together by its warmth each other's embrace. The forest was quiet save for the rustle of leaves and the distant call of a coyote. As she began to speak softly into the night's gentle hush it all combined to weave to a deep sense of peace about them.

_Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,_   
_Enwrought with golden and silver light,_   
_The blue and the dim and the dark cloths_   
_Of night and light and the half light,_   
_I would spread the cloths under your feet:_   
_But I, being poor, have only my dreams;_   
_I have spread my dreams under your feet;_   
_Tread softly because you tread on my dreams._

As she recited the poem she turned to face him once more and held his gaze as she said to the final words. Jamie met her eyes and allowed his defenses down, letting her to see how moved he was. It was several moments before he could speak again.

"Tis a fine poem, Sassenach," he said softly, stroking her arm up and down with his hand.

She smiled and kissed the corner of his mouth.

"Yes, it is. But do you see, Jamie? You have given me your dreams. And taken mine in return. There is nothing more I want or need."

He kissed her then, deeply. He sighed as her mouth opened to the questioning of his tongue and lost himself in her touch.

After a moment he pulled away, breathless, and laid his head against hers.

"I dinna ken what I ever did to deserve ye, Sassenach," he said quietly, gratitude and wonder imbuing his words.

"Nor I you, James Fraser. But I learned long ago it is best not to question such things and instead simply be thankful for them."

He smiled then, a small tugging at the corner of his lips.

"To 'Tread softly,' aye?"

She felt her own smile spreading slowly across her face.

"Aye," she said and moved to kiss his lips once more.

She sighed in contentment and settled herself back down in his arms. He pulled her to him then and kissed the top of her.

"Come now an' ye rest, Sassenach, and pray that there will be more dreams to share by morning."


End file.
